We turn onto a winding drive named Rue de Vin. The French words translate to “street of wine,” aptly named as we pass rows of vines—chardonnay, merlot, pinot blanc, cabernet franc and more—on our way up the hill to Chateau Chantal. Throughout the year, the winery and inn on Old Mission Peninsula hosts wine pairing dinners, thoughtfully crafting menus that showcase local ingredients and the farms that produce them. And tonight, we will be at the table.
This evening’s six-course wine dinner is inspired by St. Vincent, the patron saint of winegrowers. Each January, vintners in the villages of Burgundy, France, gather for several days of wine drinking and feasting to thank St. Vincent and ask him to protect future harvests. A secret wine society, the Brotherhood of the Knights of Tastevin, started the wine festival in 1938.
More than 80 years later and 4,000 miles away, 30 guests are arriving at Chateau Chantal for a Northern Michigan version of the celebration.
Wine specialist Mike Dubois welcomes us with a flute of sparkling wine, a dry riesling-chardonnay blend called Tonight, and leads us downstairs for a behind-the-scenes tour of the sprawling wine cellar. He tells us about the winery’s founders, Robert and Nadine Begin, and their daughter, now the president and CEO, Marie-Chantal Dalese. Robert and Nadine purchased the 65-acre estate, then a cherry farm, in 1983. The first riesling grapes were planted at the top of the hill in 1986, and the winery opened in 1993.
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SPARKING CHANGE IN DIGITAL HEALTH
COVID as a catalyst for telemedicine
MUSH HOUR!
A DOG SLEDDING ADVENTURE THROUGH THE U.P WILDS
KNIT WISE
A Michigan transplant discovers she’s not alone in finding comfort and healing in this small town’s knitting community.
Innovation in Prostate Care: The UroLift
McLaren doctor brings non-surgical outpatient prostate procedure to Northern Michigan, providing quicker recovery times.
With the Help of an 'Angel'
Michigan State Police Angel Program expands to Traverse City.
THE BUZZ AT SHORT'S BREWING
Joe Short, founder of Short’s Brewing Company in Bellaire, fills us in on the Northern Michigan beer scene and what’s coming up next for Short’s, including new releases from sister company Superfluid Supply Co. and brands like Starcut Ciders and Beaches Hard Seltzer.
Warmer Together
ANNA ALDRICH + MICHAEL SHAW January 12, 2019
Lifesaving Stroke Care in Northern Michigan
Stroke touches everyone’s life; the stroke patient, their family, their caretakers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds. Every 4 minutes, someone dies of a stroke. The difference between death and survival is early action, making it critical to have robust stroke resources close to home. Michigan native and neurosurgeon Dr. Gary Rajah joined Munson Healthcare in June 2020 to expand Munson Healthcare’s stroke center. Rajah is already making a difference in the lives of people impacted by a stroke in Northern Michigan by bringing endovascular stroke treatment to Munson, a lifesaving and lifechanging service not previously offered in the region.
HOLISTIC HEALTH: WHOLE-BODY APPROACH TO WELL-BEING
If you long for a healthcare provider who knows you, your family and your healthcare story, you’re not alone. Both providers and patients pine for a more meaningful doctor-patient relationship. Fortunately, the healthcare system is moving toward a more patient-centered approach focused on prevention as opposed to procedures. Direct primary care and functional medicine practices like Traverse City’s Table Health are championing the movement by offering cost-effective, transparent and relationship-based care.
COVID-19 HEROES
Local healthcare professionals worked tirelessly on the frontlines when the pandemic hit Northern Michigan and the battle continues. We’re sharing some of their stories here—stories of incredible interdisciplinary teamwork, grit and resilience, long hours beyond normal responsibilities, gratitude for colleague and community support and capable task forces that remain intact.
